Process of and apparatus for treatment of ores



v T. G. WALKER. Process of, and Apparatus for, Treatment of Ores.

Nq. 236,739. Pat ntdlan, 18,1881.

Witnesses I 6 W, 'i

N.PETERS, PHOTO-LTHCGRAPHER, WASHNGYUN: D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

THOMAS G. WALKER, OF MORRISTQWN, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,739, dated January 18, 1881.

Application filed January 17, 1880.,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS GEORGE WALKER, of Morristown, Morris county, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Process of and Apparatus for the Treatment of Ores, of which the following is a specification.

In previously-known processes for the treatment of ores by oxidation the chief obstacles to success have been the difficulty experienced, first, in so holding the pulverized ore in suspension while being treated as to permit the thorough contact of each particle thereof with sufficient oxygen to support combustion, and, second, in securing at the same time the presence and the suitable distribution of the proper amount of oxygen. These obstacles are overcome and the ore is thoroughly and economically treated by my process and apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The accompanying drawing, to which reference'is made, shows a vertical section of the new apparatus, in which my invention may be successfully operated.

Ais an oven, heated from the'furnace b and provided with a chimney, 0. Within the oven is a coil of pipe, D, passing from the hopperF into the oven A, near the top, and passing out nearer the bottom, discharging into a preferably closed receiver, E.

The ore to be treated is finely pulverized and placed in the hopper F, whence it is caused, by gravity or mechanical agency, to pass gradually into an extension of the heated coil D, from which point it is taken through the heated coil by a jet of steam under pressure from the pipe 6 and a jet of atmospheric air drawn or forced in from a pipe at (I. It will be seen that the coil D has one inlet for the ore, another for the steam, and still another for the air, and that its connection with the steampipe is an air-tight connection. The air-pipe is let into the coil D either in advance of or behind the steam-pipe. The steam, while serving jointly with the air as the conveying medium, holds the pulverized ore thoroughly in suspension and distributes it evenly throughout the heated space, thus permitting the thorough contact of each particle of ore with whatever oxygen is present. For the purpose of holding the ore in suspension steam is vastly superior to air alone by reason of its greater expansive force and consequent carrying capacity, which will hold the moving particles of ore suspended while they are affected chemically by the mixed air and steam. By the saturation of the air, which is effected by the presence of the steam, oxidationis facilitated, as it takes place more readily in a humid than in a dry atmosphere. The constant presence of a suitable supply of oxygen and its even distribution throughout the heated space is insured by the current of air, so that ignition takes place instead of fusion, which latter oc curs when the supply of oxygen is deficient or is not suitably distributed. The superiority of air over steam alone for the purpose of furnishing oxygen arises largely from the fact that the oxygen of the air is not in chemical union with its nitrogen, but is free to unite with any other substance, while the oxygen of steam proper is in chemical union with its h ydrogen, and is only liberated from it with difficulty.

The heated coil D, having a free discharge into the receiver, renders possible the holding of the ore in constant suspension by the cur rent of steam and air while passing through the heated space, and also enables the operation to be performed continuously as long as ore is supplied to the hopper F. The heat within the coil D suflices toinduce combustion of the combustible constituents of the ore when the same are in the presence of oxygen. The sulphur, antimony, arsenic, and kindred impurities of low oxidizing powers uniting with the oxygen supplied by the air are resolved into gases and escape with the steam and all volatile products into the receiver, and thence through a suitable flue, g,-while the freemetal, the oxides, and'all non-volatile products are continuously discharged into the receiver E.

I am aware that it is not new to treat ore in heated vessels, nor to treat it in heated vessels in the presence of steam. This I do not claim. My invention utilizes the steam for two purposes-first, as a propelling and suspending medium, and, secondly, to aid in inducing oxidation by the moisture which the steam imparts to the air.

Steam has also been broughtin contact with 1. The process of treating finely-pulverized ore while the same is suspended in a jet of steam, which process consists in conveying the ore in a continuous stream through a pipe exposed to external heat by means and in the presence of a mixed current of steam and oxygen, said current also serving to retain the moving particles of ore in suspension within said pipe, substantially as specified.

2. In an apparatus for treating ores, the combination of the pipe D, having three in- 1ets-one for steam, one for oxygen, and one for ore-and an outlet for steam, air, and ore,

with the heating-furnace, through which said pipe is passed, but with which its contents-d0 not communicate, substantially as specified.

Signed by me, this 7th day of January, 1880, before two subscribing witnesses.

THOS. GEO. WALKER. Witnesses:

W. MoRRIs SMITH, L. O. YOUNG. 

